Insulated reclosable beer carton



Oct 10, 1967 T. L. SCHMIDT I INSULATED RECLOSABLE BEER CARTON 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 28, 1965 TRUE/JAN L. SCHM/DT INVENTOI? BUG/(HORN, BLORE, KLAROU/ST a SPAR/(MAN ATTORNEYS United States Patent once 3,346,167 Patented Oct. 10, 1967 3,346,167 INULATED RECLOSABLE BEER CARTON Trueman L. Schmidt, Olympia, Wash, assignor to Olympia Brewing Company, Olympia, Wash, a corporation of Washington Filed May 28, 1965, Ser. No. 459,788 4 Claims. (Cl. 229-20) ABSTRACT OF THE DKSCLOSURE This invention relates to insulated cartons for filled beer cans or similar containers for liquids or consumable products.

Prior insulated beer cartons with which I am familiar 'have had defects insofar as use thereof is concerned. Some could be readily opened, but once opened, could not be readily and properly reclosed. Others, such as the double open box type, expose all of the cans even though they are opened for the purpose of removing only one can, thus allowing the escape of cold from (that is, absorption of heat by) the box and its contents. Other cartons are not readily carried about, having to be supported in both hands or carried under an arm.

It is the main object of the present invention to provide an insulated car-ton for filled beer cans or similar containers, which carton has a handle, allowing it to be readily carried about, and which carton can be opened to remove one or more cans Without exposing all the cans, andwhich carton can thereafter readily and effectively be reclosed to retain the cool temperature of the remaining filled beer cans, to enable subsequent consumption thereof by the purchaser and his friends.

The insulated reclosable carton of the present inven- 7 tion is characterized by having a sleeve type outer carton member and a box type inner carton member slidably received by the outer carton member in snug relation thereto. The outer carton member has a handle by which it, together with the inner carton member, can be readily carried. The inner carton member is provided with one and preferably two hatch flaps in the side walls of the inner carton member, the hatch flaps being openable to provide an opening through which one or more can be removed from the carton. The hatch flaps are then readily flipped back to their closed positions and maintained in such closed position by the outer carton member when the inner carton member is again slid back into the outer carton member. The hatch flaps are located in staggered relation and near the end margins of their respective side wall panels so that the inner carton member does not have to be completely removed from the outer carton member in order to remove one or more cans, and, by staggering the hatch flaps, it is immaterial which Way the inner carton member is moved relative to the outer carton member because one of the hatch flaps will be exposed regardless of which way it is shifted. The inner carton member and outer carton member are so constructed that the inner carton member is releasably retained in its fully surrounded condition by the outer carton member to avoid accidental displacement of the inner carton member relative to the outer'carton member.

Various other objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a purchaser carrying a filled insulated reclosable carton of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows the carton as having been opened and a purchaser and a friend enjoying part of the contents of the carton;

FIG. 3 shows the carton reclosed to enclose the remaining cans in the carton whereby to maintain them cool for subsequent enjoyable consumption, and shows the reclosed carton being carried by the purchaser away from the FIG. 2 location;

FIG. 4 is a side perspective view of a filled reclosable insulated carton of my invention and showing the carton in its normal upright carrying condition;

FIG. 5 is a view of the carton 011 one side and showing the inner carton member as having been shifted to an offset position relative to the outer carton member and showing the inner carton member as having been opened through one hatch flap of the inner carton member;

FIG. 6 shows the carton in the process of being reclosed;

FIG. 7 shows the carton on its opposite side and opened by means of a second hatch flap of the inner carton member;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the inner carton member showing the relationship of the hatch flaps in the opposite side walls of the inner carton member;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along lines 99 of FIG. 4 showing an interlock of the two carton members;

FIG. 10 is a view of the inner carton member blank prior to its being folded; and

FIG. 11 is a view of the outer carton member blank prior to its being folded.

The inventive reclosable carton of the present inven tion is best shown in FIGS. 4-11, where it is evident that the carton includes as primary members a sleeve-type outer carton member generally entitled 11, and a boxtype inner carton member 13, both formed of pressed paperboard. Both carton members are of rectangular crosssection and the inner carton member is dimensioned so that it is only slightly smaller than the outer carton member 11 an extent such as to have a snug sliding fit therewith, whereby the inner carton member 13 is re leasably retained in its carrying position until forcibly moved therefrom by the purchaser (or other individual).

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 11, the outer carton member has a bottom panel 11a joined to side panels 11b and at score lines 15. The side panels are joined to top panels 11d and lie at score lines 17.

Each top panel has die cut lines 19 and 21, and score lines 23 to define a pair of handle elements 25 and 27 which are joined to their panels medially thereof at the score lines 23. In the folded final form condition of the outer carton member 11, overlapping portions of the top panels 11a and 11d are glued or otherwise adhesively secured together, and the two handle elements 25 and 27 are glued or otherwise adhesively secured together to form a single handle H by which the carton may be readily carried.

Panel He also has edge notches 31 defining a pair of locking tabs 33 about which more will be presently said.

The construction of the inner carton member 13 is best shown in FIGS. 8-10, where it is evident that such inner member includes a bottom panel 13a, side panels 13b and joined to the bottom panel at score lines 41, and top panels 13d and 13e joined to the side panels at score lines 43. The bottom panel has end flaps 13a, while each side panel has end flaps 13b and 130', and each top panel has end flaps 13d and 13e'.

In the folded final form condition of the inner carton member 13, the top panels have overlapping portions glued or otherwise adhesively secured together, with the top panel 130! being disposed outermost (FIG. 8). The associated pairs of end flaps 13c and 131) have overlapping portions glued or otherwise adhesively secured together and these cover end flaps 13a, 13d and 13e, to which the end flaps 13c and 13d preferably are adhesively secured to provide end panels for the inner carton member 13.

It is pointed out that the cans of beer, twelve being shown in FIG. 4, are placed in the inner carton member during its erection so that when the carton is finally erected with all the flaps and panels adhesively secured together, the cans are securely retained Within the inner carton member 13.

The filled inner carton member 13 may now be inserted into the outer carton member 11 and as previously mentioned, the inner carton member has a snug fit within the outer carton member so that it resists sliding movement relative thereto so that it is releasably held in a generally concealed condition (that is, it is enclosed except for the end panels thereof), within the outer carton member 11.

Prior to the insertion of the inner carton member into the outer carton member, the locking tabs 33 are bent inwardly, as shown in the case of one tab 33 in FIG. 9. When the inner carton member 13 is inserted into the outer carton member, its top panels 13d and 13c are arranged to be uppermost so as to dispose two notches 53 (FIGS. and next to the top panels of the outer carton member 11. The spacing of the notches and the tabs (in the inwardly bent condition of the latter) is such that the end edges of the tabs engage the outwardly facing, inwardly disposed side edges of the notches 53 as is shown in FIG. 9 wherein the end edge 33a of the tab 33 engages the side edge 53a of the notch 53. This engagement of the tabs and notch edges provides a secondary releasable locking arrangement (in addition to the snug fit previously mentioned).

To project the inner carton member 13 from the outer carton member 11, end pressure is applied to the inner carton member and when this pressure is sufiicient (which actually can be accomplished with a moderate pressure by an individual) the tab 33 will snap over the adjacent engaged notch edge (or be bent sufficiently so as to snap over the same) to enable the inner carton member to be moved to a position such as shown in FIG. 5.

In the FIG. 5 position of the carton members, a hatch flap 61 in side panel 130 is exposed. This hatch flap is offset relative to the center of the inner carton member 13 an extent to overlie a can C5 and partly overlie cans C1, C2, C3, C4 and C6. The hatch flap initially is defined by an arcuate die-cut perforate line 63 (FIG. 10) and joined to the side panel 130 at a score line 65. In the particular embodiment of the invention shown, the score line 65 falls on the center line of the inner carton member 13 as is evident from FIG. 10.

Hatch flap 61 has tWo smaller but similarly shaped finger hold flaps 67 similarly die-cut and scored. These flaps can be pushed inwardly to enable the hatch fiap 61 to be pulled outwardly to separate the hatch fiap from the side panel 16c at the die-cut perforate line 63 thereby to completely expose the top of the can C5 to facilitate its ready removal. One can C5 is removed, the adjacent cans can be shifted over to register with the hatch opening by use of the fingers or by tilting the catton member, or a combination of these efforts.

It is evident from FIG. 5 that the finger hole fiaps 67 are in register with the spaces S1 and S2 provided between the cans C1-C6 so that the finger hole flaps are themselves unsupported (while the hatch flap 61 is itself supported by the underlying cans) whereby to facilitate the ready opening of the finger hole flaps 67 to permit ripping the hatch flap away from the side panel 13c along the die-cut perforate line 63.

After as many cans as desired are removed, the hatch flap 61 is pressed downwardly into place and the torn edges at the die-cut perforate line 63 will normally be sufficient to retain the hatch flap 61 in its closed position. Even if this were not so, when the inner carton member 13 is again shoved back into the outer carton member 11, as shown in FIG. 6, the contact of the outer carton member with the hatch flap 61 would effect a closure of the hatch flap to thus completely reclose the inner carton member thus placing the overall carton in substantially the same condition it was prior to removal to one or more cans, thereby maintaining the remaining cans in an insulated and thus cooled condition for subsequent enjoyable consumption.

Referring to FIGS. 8 and 10, the inner carton member 13 has a second hatch flap 71 similar in form and construction to hatch flap 61, but oppositely located relative to the center line of the inner carton member 13, as is evident from the just-mentioned figures, whereby the hatch flap 71 is disposed to overlie one can in the opposite end of the inner carton member, and partially overlie other cans in a manner similar to the way hatch flap 61 completely or partially overlies cans C1-C6.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 8, it is evident that the top panel 13d of the inner carton member has an arrow 81 pointing in the direction of the hatch flap 61, whereas the bottom panel 13a has an oppositely directed arrow 83 pointing to the hatch flap '71. It is pointed out that since both of the arrows 81 and 83 are on the top panels of the inner carton member that one of these arrows will be exposed regardless of the direction in which the inner carton member is shifted. Normally, the inner carton member will be placed down in a position like that shown in FIG. 4, and the user merely shifts the carton one way or the other in the position shown in FIG. 4, and as soon as he sees the arrow either 81 or 83, he knows which way to lay the carton down to expose the appropriate hatch for removal of cans.

FIGS. 1 through 3 are believed self-evident insofar as what is depicted. FIG. 1 depicts a purchaser or individual having a carton of the present invention filled with cooled or cold cans of beer or other consumable liquid or product. FIG. '2 shows the individual seated at a table with one of the hatch flaps opened, and he and a friend enjoying a can or several cans of beer from the carton. It is presumed that there will be left filled cans of beer so that the carton will be reclosed as above described and when so reclosed the carton is then substantially in the condition it was in FIG. 1. Therefore, the purchaser may then again grasp the handle H and readily carry the partially filled carton with him to his next destination.

Having described the invention in what is considered to be the preferred embodiment thereof, it is desired that it be understood that the invention is not to be limited other than by the provisions of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A reclosable insulated carton for cooled filled beer cans or the like, said carton comprising a carrying member in the form of a sleeve of rectangular cross section,

a handle on the exterior of said sleeve by which said sleeve may be carried,

a container member of parallelopipedon form slidably receivable within said sleeve and having opposed side walls,

at least one of said side walls having a portion that can be opened to facilitate removal of a beer can and can be subsequently closed to again enclose said cans,

said portion being covered by said sleeve but being exposed when said container member is moved a predetermined extent relative to said sleeve,

and interegaging latch means on said container member and carrying member for releasably holding the two members against relative sliding movement, said interengaging latch means being separate and distinct from said handle. 2. A reclosable insulated carton for cooled filled beer cans or the like, said carton comprising a carrying member in the form of a sleeve of rectangular cross section,

a handle on the exterior of said sleeve by which said sleeve may be carried,

a container member of parallelopipedon form slidably receivable within said sleeve and having opposed side walls and a top wall next to said handle and a bottom wall remote from said handle,

at least one of said side Walls having a portion that can be opened to facilitate removal of a beer can and can be subsequently closed to again enclose said cans,

said portion being covered by said sleeve but being exposed when said container member is moved a predetermined extent relative to said sleeve,

said portion being located closer to one end of said container member than to the other end so that said container member may be moved to a position to expose said portion without separating said container member from said carrying member,

said other side wall having an openable portion therein located closer to said other end of said container member than to said one end so that regardless of which way said container member is shifted relative to said carrying member, cans may be removed from said container member without separating it from said carrying member,

said top wall of said container member bearing thereon two markings, one of which is disposed adjacent one end of said container member and the other of which is disposed adjacent the other end of said container member, wherein each marking is disposed closer to the side wall of said container member having the nearest openable portion, so that with the container carton in an upright position, the user can push the carton either Way relative to the sleeve to expose an end portion of the carton whereupon the marking thereby exposed automatically indicates which way the carton should be tilted to expose the nearest openable portion thereby eliminating guess work on the part of the user as to which way to tilt the carton.

3. A reclosable insulated carton for cooled filled beer cans or the like, said carton comprising a carrying member in the form of a sleeve of rectangular cross section,

a handle on the exterior of said sleeve by which said sleeve may be carried,

a container member of parallelopipedon form slidably receivable within said sleeve and having opposed side walls,

each of said side walls having a portion that can be opened to facilitate removal of a beer can and can be subsequently closed to again enclose said cans,

each portion being covered by said sleeve but being exposed when said container member is moved a predetermined extent relative to said sleeve,

one portion being located closer to one end of said container member than to the other end and the other portion being located closer to the other end of said container than to said one end so that said container member may be moved relative to said sleeve to expose either portion without separating said container member from said carrying member,

each portion comprising a flap formed from its side wall and being joined to its side wall inwardly of the opening provided when the flap is opened.

4. A reclosable insulated carton for cooled filled beer cans or the like, said carton comprising a carrying member in the form of a sleeve of rectangular cross section,

a handle on the exterior of said sleeve by which said sleeve may be carried,

a container member of parallelopipedon form slidably receivable within said sleeve and having opposed side walls,

at least one of said side walls having a portion that can be opened to facilitate removal of a beer can and can be subsequently closed to again enclose said cans,

said portion being covered by said sleeve but being exposed when said container member is moved a predetermined extent relative to said sleeve,

said portion raving finger hold portions which are aligned with spaces between said cans in the filled condition of said container.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 385,924 7/1888 Griswold.

1,076,076 10/1913 Story 229-19 2,874,870 2/1959 Cullura 206--65 FOREIGN PATENTS 587,292 4/ 1947 Great Britain.

1,154 9/1885 Italy.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

R. PESHOCK, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A RECLOSABLE INSULATED CARTON FOR COOLED FILLED BEER CAN OR THE LIKE, SAID CARTON COMPRISING A CARRYING MEMBER IN THE FORM OF A SLEEVE OF RECTANGULAR CROSS SECTION, A HANDLE ON THE EXTERIOR OF SAID SLEEVE BY WHICH SAID SLEEVE MAY BE CARRIED, A CONTAINER MEMBER OF PARALLELOPIPEDON FORM SLIDABLY RECEIVABLE WITHIN SAID SLEEVE AND HAVING OPPOSED SIDE WALLS, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID SIDE WALLS HAVING A PORTION THAT CAN BE OPENED TO FACILITATE REMOVAL OF A BEER CAN AND CAN BE SUBSEQUENTLY CLOSED TO AGAIN ENCLOSE SAID CANS, SAID PORTION BEING COVERED BY SAID SLEEVE BUT BEING EXPOSED WHEN SAID CONTAINER MEMBER IS MOVED A PREDETERMINED EXTENT RELATIVE TO SAID SLEEVE, AND INTEREGAGING LATCH MEANS ON SAID CONTAINER MEMBER AND CARRYING MEMBER FOR RELEASABLY HOLDING THE TWO MEMBERS AGAINST RELATIVE SLIDING MOVEMENT, SAID INTERENGAGING LATCH MEANS BEING SEPARATE AND DISTINCT FROM SAID HANDLE. 